Thursday, October 20, 2011

I know that there is a whole world of people out there that love them, but I find crossword puzzles extremely boring. Actually, maybe it's just word games as a whole that don't interest me... which seems somewhat ironic, considering that I write daily.

Instead, I much prefer numbers and am happier filling them in or using basic math skills to complete a game board. Recently, I was able to put my addition to the test when I was introduced to Playpiegames and their brain puzzle game 10Plus.

This addicting and engaging number counting puzzle centers around summing up numbers to a total of 10, 20, 30, 40 or beyond by sliding your finger vertically or horizontally across the screen of your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch (requires iOS 4.0 or later).

Requiring more than just first grade math knowledge, 10Plus centers on spotting rows or columns of numbers that add up to 10 (or a multiple of 10). The more numbers you successfully add, the more points you win and your playing time increases - you have to reach a designated number of points each time to move on to the next level.

I started playing 10Plus without having read any of the information or instructions (who needs those?) so I was pleasantly surprised to find that with each level that I cleared, the different numbers available on the board increased.

Instead of having only 1, 2, 3, and 4, I found that I started seeing 5, 6, 7 and so on, which made it easier to see a 3 and a 7 together but also made the possibilities of adding to 20 much more likely.

As well as the entertainment of the increasing difficulty of making collections of numbers in 10Plus, if you make two combinations of three or more numbers in less than three seconds, you are rewarded with a doughnut! And after you have five doughnuts, suddenly the screen shows that you have a fever, in which you receive double points for the following combinations that you make during that time.

From the cheerful and colorful graphics to the catchy sound effects and music, 10Plus is a game that really can appeal to adults as well as kids. The younger crowd can have fun exercising their mind and practicing their skills while still being entertained and, for adults, there is an online component where you can compete with players around the world.

For more information, check out this short video demo showing the highlights of 10Plus and then head over to iTunes to see how this brain game can help train your mind to count quickly while providing fun that you're going to find yourself wanting to return to time and time again.

With a price tag of only 99¢ (there is also a free version that will give you an idea of the game), you're going to quickly find that 10Plus is something that the whole family can enjoy!

(I was compensated and provided a complimentary copy of 10Plus to facilitate this review, however, all thoughts and opinions shared are honest and my own.)